Masegoso de Tajuña 3 October 2019

A shorter easier day to rest up for some longer days ahead. 22 km or 13 miles. I followed the advice of someone who walked this route last spring and deviated off the Camino to stay in a hostal on the N-204 carretera. No extra walking today, but it will add a bit over a mile to tomorrow's walk. I enjoyed a decent midday meal in the restaurant downstairs (paella and chicken again).

Why hasn't this wheat been harvested?

Today's seafood and chicken paella with rice

Trillo 2 October 2019

I knew it would be another long day of walking but I decided to go past Viana de Mondejar and walk to Trillo instead. It was another 7 km for a total of 30 km or 18 miles, but I'm glad I did. Viana was another sleepy village with few services. I walked the entire route and was passed by a car only one time in the 18 miles until I arrived in Trillo. The trail was spectacular with mostly forested trails or steep washed out paths, some of it difficult to traverse. But very refreshing and enjoyable.

I arrived just before 2 pm at Trillo, walked into the ayuntamiento, and told them I was a pilgrim and would like to stay in the town's albergue. The secretary called another city worker who opened it and showed me around. After a shower, I walked back to the restaurant the secretary told me about and had a very relaxing and good menú diario. Turns out that Trillo is at the confluence of the Rios Tajo and Cifuentes. The Tajo is the river that goes on to flow through Toledo in Spain,
then all the way to the Atlantic Ocean as the Tagus River through Lisbon in Portugal.

I am tired and sore after two 18 miles days back to back, but I was going a strong at the finish and I think my walking legs and feet are in good shape. And I've been adjusting my pack straps and think I've found the sweet spot to keep my shoulders from bothering me. Still today was a 5 ibuprofen day, but only the 200 mg variety!

Through the forest

And some steep washed out paths

An old and rusting stationery threshing machine near Viana

Walking out of Viana and viewing the Tetas de Viana. Google it

Just outside Trillo is a nuclear power plant. If we want to get to net zero on carbon emissions, nuclear needs to be part of the mix

Paella with noodles (fideos). This is wheat country, so no rice here

Half a baked chicken. Yummy.

Cascades of the Rio Cifuentes just before it meets the Tajo

The Rio Tajo just outside the albergue

Bull  fighting ring on the left, albergue on the right

Salmeron 1 October 2019

First, to continue yesterday's post from Viilaconejos del Trabaque, I went outside at 8:20 pm to find Paul waiting to take me up to the dinner site. It turned out to be in a bodega or wine cave, carved out of the side of the hill in the 1830's. We started preparing the meal by cutting up items for the salad and some Manchego cheese, of course, a bit of red wine to drink, too. Paul also prepared a fire in the fireplace. I wasn't sure why as it was not that cold and the door was open. About 9:15, Pepe, the other hospitalero showed up with more ingredients (olive oil, garlic, thick bacon, chorizo) and he and Paul put them into a a pot, then  heated it up over the wood fire. After they were sauteed, water was added and they cooked a bit longer. Finally, Pepe added chunks of bread and a few eggs. In the meantime, Alejandro showed up with some good blue cheese type of cheese that he spread on to more chunks of bread, plus some cured jamon. We had our salad and munched on the appetizers until the soup was ready. Next, we enjoyed that, plus a few pork chops also cooked over the wood fire. The meal ended up with some of the good Spanish melon and a tasting of four different kinds of distilled liqueurs that Pepe made. In between, they showed me the cave and how they made and stored the wine in huge  clay pots in past times. By the way, they still have a 500 liter stainless steel tank that they keep full of red wine to use as needed. It was a fabulous experience, one that few tourists to Spain would be able to experience. I am really grateful and want to thank Paul, Pepe, and Alejandro for making the evening possible. I finally got to bed at 11:30 pm, way past my usual camino bed time.

And today, I was up before 7 am to get prepared and start walking by 7:50 am. Today's walk was a long one, 30 km or 18 miles. Some steep, a little on asphalt, but mostly nice gravrel tracks through farmland and some forest. I arrived in Salmeron right at 2 pm. Got the keys from the bar for albergue and got settled in. i was warned there were two bars only, no hot food served anywhere, and tienda a that closed at 2. It is a sleepy almost dead town with few people out and about, but that's okay as I brought in enough food and I have a nice albergue to stay in.

Villaconejos de Trabaque 30 September 2019

A lot of level and downhill made today's walk of 22 km or 13.5 miles fairly easy. I was still carrying too much food, water, and wine weight since loading up in Cuenca as I knew these next stretches would not have many available options. No cafe con leche until a village about two thirds of the way through today's walk, but that was okay as it was a good place to take a rest. I did arrive around one pm at the albergue next to the ermita (small chapel) on the edge of Villaconejos. I was going to call the hospitalero, but there was a man my age behind the albergue working in his bodega (wine cave). He offered to take me into town to meet Pepe the hospitalero, so I took him up on that offer. Turned out that the little tienda he took me to, that Pepe had gone into Cuenca for the day. So they called his brother Paul who met me there and took me back to the albergue, opened it, and showed me around. He also let me know that I was invited to a dinner at 8:30 tonight next door at which he, Pepe, and several other people who be present. The guidebook says that this is one of the most welcoming albergues on this route and so far it seems to be. I will keep you posted!

Only steep ascent of the day

The albergue

Vilar de Domingo García 29 September 2019

About 29 km or 17 miles today. No vineyard, only forested area and harvested wheat fields or sunflowers that still seem too wet to harvest. Nothing else very interesting. Being a Sunday, everything is pretty dead in the towns. Only two bars, no restaurant, in this village. Only one was serving food, so I had a grilled chicken breast with fried eggs, French fries, and salad. Ho-hum.

Cuenca 28 September 2019

Note: I have had very poor to no internet for almost a week. That is why I fell behind in posting to my blog. All caught up for now, but it may not last!

I did meet my first pilgrims on the route last night about nine pm. I took a walk around the village of Fuentes, when I saw an open window and a light with bunk beds at the church just 200 feet away from my pension. I went in and introduced myself to the French and Spanish men who were bicycle pilgrims and staying in the albergue there. Good thing I didn't check in earlier as there were only two beds there. I thought I might see them today, but they probably took the highway route and are far ahead by now.

I walked into Cuenca, the largest city between Valencia and Burgos about noon today. It was an easy walk of about 15 miles or 25 km through mostly farmland, wheat and sunflowers, with some pine forests. The wheat had been harvested much earlier, but I did see a few combines harvesting sunflowers. The torrential rains of a few weeks ago have put them way behind on the harvest schedule.

I called Luis, the hospitalero, when I arrived at the albergue, Casa del Peregrino, and he arrived shortly thereafter to check me in. Very friendly and very welcoming and he gave me some good information on the route and the albergues ahead. Cuenca is a very interesting city, built up on high and steep hills, steeper even than San Francisco,  with a multistory cathedral and homes hanging out over the cliffs. I did go sightseeing this afternoon and my photos here are the result. After a mid day meal (green beans with ham and cod cooked in tomato sauce), I am back at the albergue to shower, wash clothes, and rest and relax for tomorrow's walk. I will probably go out for a stroll tonight to take in the usual night time pouring out of families into the plazas to visit and relax in the cooler air.

The cathedral from side street below

Looking into the River gorge by the hanging houses

The hanging houses from the other side of the river

Fuentes 27 September 2019

A delightful day of walking on gravelled tracks through the mountains of mostly pine and oak forests of Castilla-La Mancha. I walked the entire day without a vehicle passing by me until about a kilometer before I arrived in Fuentes. 25 km today or about 15 miles. i arrived in the town and had to decide between the single bunk in the albergue at the church or one  of three choices for hostals or pensiones. I decided to go for the pension that has a bar and restaurante and am happy with the choice. The room is only 15 euro and is very nice and private. I had the menu diario after a shower and clothes washing. It was fun watching the grandpa and grandma owners who were taking care of their grandsons, both boys about the ages of Carson and Trevor. Active boys, but well behaved. Makes me miss my nietos. There is wifi down in the bar, so i hope to get all caught up with my postings. Due to a variety of coincidences, I have had no wifi for the past four days.

Steep climb out of Monteaguado

A bit bleaker up on top

I happened to be in the right place to catch the high speed AVE (Alta Velocidad España) train whooshing by at 100 mph, at least 30 times faster than I'm walking

Henry and Carson would have liked this dinosaur event

Los Cazadores (The Hunters) where I stayed

Card players in the bar, with a hot game going

Monteaguado de las Salinas 26 September 2019

Today's walk was about 29 km or 17 miles. A lot of uphill grades, at least that's what it seemed. My legs and feet are fine- no blisters, a few sore toes as usual, legs are fine. What bothers me is my right shoulder and the straps of my backpack. The bursitis from too many years of swinging a hammer is getting to me and is the only real problem. Just need to stop a bit more often and take the pack off during the day for five or ten  minutes at a time, plus a bit of ibuprofen
I walked into the little village of Monteaguado de las Salinas about 1 pm. It is a steep village with the church up on one hill and the castle up on another higher hill. Very picturesque. Very sleepy, too. The Casa Rural at the edge of the town is way laid back. I did get a room here after waiting about half an hour for them to prepare it . No problem, I just had a beer in the bar and waited till it was ready.The room is nice with a double bed and the bathroom down the hall, but it seems like I am the only one here tonight. Fifteen euro for the night. I walked up into the village after my shower and was buttonholed by the woman who owns the other casa rural, but  told her "No necesito."
After getting back to the casa rural, I went to the bar and told them I would like a meal as I preferred to eat during the afternoon rather than after 7 or 8 pm. Not sure they understood my poor Spanish, but about half way into the bottle of red wine and olives they brought, I ordered a ham and cheese sandwich and salad. Food was great and host very accommodating. I really enjoyed my meal and the everyday, laconic ambience. I am back in my room relaxing. I am sure I'll have a much better sleep tonight than in the Polideportivo the previous night. All is good (except no WiFi here, but that is a minor problem).

Monteaguado de las Salinas, church on one hill. Castle on highest hill

Wild west bar theme

Patron with John Deere cap

Unharvested washed out sunflowers

The Casa Rural/ bar